Search for new greek director winding down

It’s been nearly four months since Jesse Koch’s departure, leaving Bradley with no assistant director of Fraternity and Sorority Life, but the university is still hard at work searching for a quality replacement.

“This successful candidate needs to have a strong knowledge of the fraternity and sorority community, the ability to guide, problem solve and manage the office,” said Director of Student Activities Tom Coy.

With more than 60 applicants, the search committee spent hours screening applications, evaluating applicants and making sure all of the proper documents were in place.

After the entire screening process, the committee prepared to offer six phone interviews, which dwindled down to two on-campus visits.

Head of the search committee Mike Keup said the university is looking for a well-rounded, experienced individual with the drive to improve the “already impressive” greek life system. The candidate would oversee and advise Panhellenic Council, Interfraternity Council and Non-Panhellenic Council.

“We did know we were going to run into challenges with doing the search at the time we did,” Keup said. “It is more typical that these searches start in January and someone is brought on by June, but we knew the need for this position.”

Keup said the process of an on-campus visit consists of five parts. The candidate will begin their day with a discussion with the search committee, comprised of faculty, staff, students and professionals.

The candidate will then have interviews with Interim Vice President for Student Affairs Nathan Thomas, Tom Coy and Administrative Support Abi Gashaw and student affairs professionals. Finally, the candidate has an open forum with Bradley students.

Keup said the process from start to finish is extremely thorough, but worth the effort.

“The more quality you’re drawing from, the better chance you have to find the right person,” Keup said.

Keup said the university will know by Nov. 1 whether an offer will be made to one of the two final candidates or if the search will be deemed a failure.

“The [search] committee will have one more meeting to discuss if one of these two candidates we’ve had are good for recommendation,” Keup said. “If we recommend them, that goes to the [Thomas]. If not, the search fails, and we’ll start over when ready.”

Keup said that if the search fails to provide an assistant director, Thomas will determine whether to begin a new search this semester or to hold off the new search until 2014.

The job description on the official assistant director posting mentions the preference of a master’s degree and two-years of experience advising greek organizations, as well as the potential for some night and weekend work, but the description does not require the applicant to be a member of greek life themselves.

“We want someone who has experience in organizational advisement, risk management, multiculturalism, planning events, alumni programming and more,” Keup said. “If we say on the description that we require someone to be greek, it [decreases] the amount of applicants coming in. More often than not, there are greeks applying because they gained those experiences from their own greek life experiences.”

Keup said that biggest change with this position is that the assistant director of Fraternity and Sorority Life will now report to Coy. He said the university is enthusiastic about the search and optimistic about the future.

“We’re not looking for the highest point person,” Keup said. “We are looking for someone who does well, meets the needs of the students and has chemistry with the university.”